We got our stairlift in 2004 (maybe 2005?). At the time, it was just for my mom, who's had two knee replacements.)

I didnt use it right away. I didnt find out that I might have MS till mid 2006, wasnt diagnosed till the beginning of 2007, and didnt start to actually NEED to use mom's stairlift until about a year ago. (had a couple of flares that either made me dizzy/unsteady or too weak to walk up and down the stairs.

My dad and I mostly used it to ferry laundry up and down the stairs. Dad started using it when he was diagnosed with a heart condition just after I got diagnosed with MS.

I totally think it was worth it to put the stairlift in when we did. My mom was able to go up and downstairs in our house, was able to get out to the backyard easily. My dad and I, when we started having our health problems, thought it was great we already had the stairlift installed. My dad said that the stairlift has paid for itself several times for all the times that it's allowed him to ride up the steps and still have the energy to get to the bathroom without falling on his face before he got there.

Use it on the days you need it to get up and down the stairs. On the days you dont need to, use it to bring laundry up the stairs.

I use our stairlift almost all the time now. Today, I walked down the stairs (being careful not to bend my left knee tho) because we were getting furniture delivered and the delivery guys were a bit impatient for me to get the back door unlocked. (stairchair was downstairs because my dad sent it down so they could get other furniture into an upstairs room without catching on the lift at the top of the stairs) I need that stairlift. My right leg wasnt up to walking down the stairs and was shaking and sore for about an hour after I walked down the steps.

I think it's a great invention. (so does my niece, but we dont let her ride it. If she had her way, she'd go up and down the stairs constantly. She's nine and should know better to not do that. She doesnt think it's "fair" that I ride it and she cant. She doesnt understand the MS stuff yet. I'm not allowed to correct her and tell her it's not a toy)